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Judgment Day Looms With Two Robot Apocalypses On The Horizon

Is there such a thing as robot oversaturation? That’s probably not something you would want to ask one of the human survivors living in the future Terminator universe, but Hollywood executives apparently think the theaters could use a cybernetic booster shot.

To that end, we’ve got two new robot movies coming down the pipeline: Robopocalypse, director Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Daniel H. Wilson’s novel, and How to Survive a Robot Uprising, Jack Black’s adaptation of a novel also written by Wilson.

In a press release, DreamWorks announced that Spielberg will begin shooting Robopocalypse in 2012 with a theatrical release set for 2013. Spielberg acquired the rights to the book in 2009, though it wasn’t known at the time if he would direct the adaptation himself. Now we know — half of the battle accomplished, boys and girls — that Spielberg will direct the film, following his currently shooting World War I drama War Horse.

Meanwhile, io9 reports that Black has acquired the rights to Robot Uprising, Wilson’s first novel. Hot Tub Time Machine director Steve Pink, who snatched up the rights alongside Black, is reportedly working on the script right now. It’s currently unknown if Black will star or if Pink will direct.